Fiery and radiant, diamonds are fascinating. They are probably the most prized and popular gemstone in the world, symbolizing status and true, everlasting love. But there are also some curious facts and myths surrounding them. Diamonds are known not only for their beautiful appearance but also for their remarkable physical qualities.
In the 1953 classic Hollywood film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Marilyn Monroe, gave a legendary performance. Clad in a bright pink ball gown and dazzling diamonds, she epitomised the significance of diamonds with her upbeat and seductive song: Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend. Since the 1950s, a diamond engagement ring has become the obsession of American women influenced by the advertising industries that combined desire with commerce and went onto to say, "Diamonds are forever."
Read more: Diamonds make a woman weep and a man weak in the knees
In 2002, Ben Affleck made headlines when he gave Jennifer Lopez a 6.1-carat pink diamond engagement ring worth a reported US$1.2 million. Now, US$1.2 million isn’t a small amount of money, but it practically sounds like Monopoly money when you hear what some coloured diamonds are fetching at auction these days. Jen Zoratti of the Winnipeg Free Press has the scoop!
In celebration of those loving couples who are about to tie the knot, we offer this wonderful exploration of why diamonds are used for the purpose of engagement and wedding rings. The practice wasn't always so. Many factors came to influence this now common practice, none the least of which was profit. But let's start at the beginning.
The diamond's moniker is derived from the Greek word adamas, a word meaning “unconquerable"; befitting for a stone that holds the highest position for hardness on the Mohs scale and one in which can stand the test of time to symbolize love. Today a man presents his prospective bride with an engagement ring upon acceptance of his marriage proposal. Anthropologists believe this tradition originated from a Roman custom in which wives wore rings attached to small keys, indicating their husbands' ownership.
Read more: Why Diamonds Are Used In Engagement And Wedding Rings
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